Guide to broadband for older people
It’s easy to take the internet for granted, especially for the current generation who don’t remember a time before you could just type a question into a search engine and get an instant answer. But for older people getting online can be daunting
A huge choice of broadband providers, the technical terminology, concerns over the cost and the frequent media scare stories can all make it seem overwhelming, but there are so many advantages that it’s well worth taking the time to help parents get connected. You can help smooth the process by addressing common issues and providing some guidance to get them started.
What do the technical terms mean?
Here’s a brief rundown of a few common terms you’ll run into when researching broadband.
ADSL
Stands for ‘asymmetric digital subscriber line’. The most common type of broadband, this is a cheap but now a relatively old technology with limited speed.
Cable
Virgin Media own and operate the UK’s biggest cable broadband network. This provides a very fast connection, but it can be a little more expensive and they presently only cover around 60% of the population.
Fibre optic
Fibre optic cables offer much faster speeds than ADSL, which uses the old copper telephone wires. Fibre broadband is becoming more commonplace and now available to much of the UK.
Kilobit (Kb) and Megabit (Mb)
Kb and Mb are measurements of data transfer speed. Sometimes this may be shown Kbps or Mbps for ‘bits per second’. When searching for broadband this tells you how fast the connection is. Not to be confused with kilobytes (KB) or megabytes (MB) which describe the size of a file.
LLU
Local Loop Unbundling is where BT Openreach permits other companies to install equipment in their exchanges, which allows for faster speeds. If your exchange is LLU (which is now the majority) you’ll have access to a wider range of providers.
Router
The gateway between your computer and the internet. As well as transferring internet communications to connected devices, a router also provides security features.
Wi-Fi
Wireless networking. The routers supplied by ISPs support Wi-Fi to allow the internet connection to be easily shared around the home. This is particularly useful for portable gadgets like smartphones and tablets.
Broadband doesn’t have to be expensive
Cost is a concern, especially for anyone on a fixed income, but broadband has never been cheaper. ADSL broadband is now available for well under £10, even as little as £2 per month, while faster fibre optic connections can be less than £20.
However, cheap broadband will often have a data usage cap which limits how much you can do online each month – going over this incurs a small extra cost or results in a reduced speed until the next billing period. This may not be a concern for light users though, activity such as web browsing and email involves comparatively small amounts of data transfer. Faster fibre optic and cable broadband is not essential, but nice to have for large file downloads and streaming video and TV.
Do remember though that in almost all cases broadband requires a telephone line, which carries its own separate charge. That may not be a concern if a phone line is already installed, otherwise there could be additional costs to set this up.
Contracts and installation
Most broadband packages involve a 12 month contract, and cancelling before then will involve a fee. Shorter contracts or 1 or 3 months are rarer but still out there, though the cost may be higher.
Setting up broadband is usually straightforward. The ISP will almost always supply the router, and many times all that’s needed is for this to be connected on the day the broadband is due to go live. An engineer is generally only required if there’s a problem with the telephone line or when fibre optic and cable broadband services are being installed. The ISP will arrange a date and time for the visit.
Any computer connected to the internet should have an anti-virus program installed to stop malicious software (this doesn’t have to cost anything, Microsoft Security Essentials and Avast! are both excellent free tools, though there are numerous alternatives). Also, the operating system and all applications should be set to automatically update when possible, to ensure security holes are patched.
Other than these basics online safety is heavily dependent on a good dose of common sense.
Many viruses are sent through emails purporting to be from organisations such as banks and the HMRC. These should be ignored and deleted. Even emails which seem to be from friends and family should be treated suspiciously if they have attachments and are unsolicited, as email addresses can be faked or hijacked.
Modern web browsers also have built-in ‘phishing’ filters which warn users if a site they’re visiting has been flagged for fraudulent behaviour.
Password security is vital. A good password will be long and utilise a mix of characters so it’s difficult or practically impossible to guess, and the same passwords should not be used across all sites. Password management tools such as LastPass are highly recommended as they mean you only ever have to remember a single master password.
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Matt Powell is the editor for the broadband comparison site BroadbandGenie.co.uk. He has written for numerous print and online publications including PC Home, Windows Made Easy and MSN UK.
